HARTFORD – With Halloween on Monday, AAA said there is something else drivers should really be scared of at this time of year – deer.
AAA said October, November and December are the worst months for animal strikes, which can not only put a serious dent it your car and your wallet, but can also cause serious injury and even death.
Each year there are about 1.5 million car accidents with deer in the U.S., resulting in an average of 150 deaths and 10,000 personal injuries, according to AAA.
“Forget the ghosts and goblins! This is the time of year when deer suddenly jumping out in front of you could be a lot more frightening as their mating season coincides with our shorter darker days” said AAA spokesperson Amy Parmenter in a statement. “Beware!”
The deer are most active from 5-8 a.m. and 5-8 p.m., prime commuting hours, which increases the risk to drivers.
According to the DEEP, there were an estimated 4500 deer killed by vehicles in Connecticut last year, 40 percent of them in October, November and December. In fact, there are more animal strikes in November than any other month of the year. And, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the average claim is more than $3000.
